Tabletop Games and Playing Your Cards
by senrraa
Summary: A complex relationship develops between the fearsome leader of the Fumentarii and the righteous Courier. The both of them are too afraid to admit it. Rated M for smutt. Reuploading from my old account and expanding upon it.
1. Chapter 1

Of course she couldn't be alone. And of course, of all people, it had to be him.

Caesar hadn't trusted her to complete any of his missions on her own. Of course, he was right. She didn't intend to help a pack of slaving, murdering monsters. She didn't even know why he needed specifically her help in the first place. Vulpes was probably just as capable as she was, however he wasn't as charismatic, but he was certainly as smart as she was. Maybe even smarter; a fact that she admitted begrudgingly.

It was in her list of top priorities to take down the legion.

Of course, Vulpes was catching onto that.

His eyes met hers darkly as she glanced his way, still nervous that he might snap her neck every time she turned away from him.

No matter how much time they had spent together protecting each other over the last week, she still felt his gaze like a slimy, invasive thing. She imagined he was always picturing all the things he'd like to do to her as a profligate set on betraying the Legion. Not that she'd ever really sworn allegiance. She had simply been expected to help. How could she possibly be stupid enough to refuse and invoke the wrath of the mighty Caesar?

She rolled her eyes at the simple-minded thinking of men and their high opinions of themselves as she kicked open a box to see what was inside.

"I really don't understand why you feel the need to go through everything just so you can take all of this useless junk," He growled, eyes flitting around the dark interior of the massive building, checking for any raiders or radroaches.

"Until you need to make an honest living," She spat, digging through the drawers of a file cabinet. "I suggest you don't complain about what I do."

He glared when a sly grin curved over her full lips.

"You could always leave. Then you wouldn't have to deal with me. Oh, I won't tell. Don't worry. You don't have to be a dog to everything your master says."

Her teeth glistened in the low light and anger bubbled up in him.

She had been taunting him since they had begun this trip and she was starting to get on his nerves.

She wasn't even looking at him anymore as she hastily read some files on an old world terminal, scrolling through the memos intently.

He was never sure if she just enjoyed baiting him or if she simply was trying to joke around with him.

He'd noticed she behaved in a similar way around some people, but she might have been simply looking down on them too. And it wouldn't have to have anything to do with being friendly. Plus the way she glared at him when she thought he wasn't looking only proved her dislike for him.

His eyes traced the shape of her ass as she leaned down over the terminal, wondering how many times she would ask him to stop if he fucked her.

At first, she had been afraid of him. But she quickly realized that he would not harm her if Caesar didn't wish it. However his restraint was wearing thin as the days passed and she kept making jabs at him and mocking him as much as she could.

She finished with the computer, mumbling something about a stockpile of medical supplies delivered years ago to the very building they were standing in.

She swung her rifle back up and strode confidently towards the stair case, wide eyes darting attentively about the building.

He wanted to punish her for her insolence, for her disdain and lack of respect for the Legion, and for her lack of respect for him.

The way she walked so confidently around him proved that she didn't care about what he was capable of. She kept taunting the vicious dog at the end of his chain, overconfident that the chain wouldn't snap.

She felt his eyes on the back of her neck, wondering what was going through his bloodthirsty head.

There had been not a single night that he hadn't threatened her with rape or torture.

He seemed to enjoy the discomfort on her face every time he leaned in close, breath tickling her ear as he described what he wanted to do in graphic detail.

She had gotten better at hiding how uncomfortable he made her, but that only seemed to make him try harder.

Last night he had slammed her front to a wall and pressed his groin against her ass as he whispered not so sweet things into her ear, only finally feeling satisfied when she tried to struggle to get away, swearing and cursing at him.

He enjoyed feeling powerful over her. She knew that. It was probably a requirement for anyone in the Legion to have a sadistic side. And Vulpes excelled at that requirement.

No matter how comfortable she pretended to be around him, the mere thought of him sleeping next to her every night made her skin crawl.

The only reason she acted so confidant was because she knew it bothered him. He was always making threats to her; it was just her way of getting back at him.

Part of a wall on the upper floor had crumbled away and she smiled, glad to have the sun to light her way.

For some reason, she liked the desert with all of its constant sunshine. She hated the dark. She wasn't afraid of it. It was just inconvenient and annoying.

She opened door after door, trying to figure out which room might have held the stash, if it was still in the building at all.

The Courier was taking her time, trifling through things and munching on gumdrops, ignoring the ticking on her pipboy's gigacounter as she raided a kitchen area.

She was reckless. She was a fool.

Most nights he wanted nothing more than to punish her and teach her a lesson for behaving like a moron.

She stopped to stretch out her limbs luxuriously, and he watched the arch of her back with interest.

"So," She asked, setting herself back down off of her tiptoes. "I know you're smarter than every other male supremacist in the Legion, how is it that you're stupid enough to actually believe in that bullshit?"

He snorted. She was back to this again.

The kindhearted Courier. She was such a saint, always trying to lead people onto the path of righteousness.

A nasty grin crossed his face. "I simply enjoy the sound of men as I torture them and the pleas of women as I rape them. It's what keeps me happy."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever bro. You know, I really thought you were too smart to be crazy."

He gave her a stony face. "The same can be said of you, darling." He took a lock of her hair in his hands and kissed it softly. "I never pictured you to be dumb enough to dare to mess with the Legion."

"You guys aren't as big and bad as you think you are," She growled, standing her ground.

He wanted to punish her. Teach her not to mess with him. He took another step closer, invading her personal space, their chests brushing lightly against each other.

Her eyes were still defiant.

A sudden surge of anger burned in his stomach. He had never met anyone more infuriating.

He slammed her up against a wall, enjoying the sound her head made as it hit the wall hard, eliciting a sharp cry from her and leaving a dazed expression on her face.

He pressed his forearms against the wall on either side of her body, breath tickling her forehead as he boxed her in, trapping her between him and the wall.

She tilted her head to glare up at him, their faces inches apart. "Back off," She growled, her jaw set tight and her body poised for a fight.

"I am growing increasingly weary of your audacious behavior and this is your last warning to stop and learn some respect."

"Or what?!" She spat, gripping his wrists firmly where they rested on either side of her head.

She looked so tempting in that moment. He wanted to watch her expression of defiance to melt into fear and wanted to hear her cursing turn to pleas for him to stop.

He felt heat growing in his core as he stared into her fierce eyes.

He began to move before he even realized he'd made the decision.

She protested loudly as he forced her weapons away from her, tossing them on the floor, out of her reach.

Her hands scrambled against his as he undid her utility belt and yanked her pack away from her.

"Stop!" She barked, her hands now clawing and hitting him in vain.

A low laugh trickled from his throat as he roughly removed her shirt.

Her voice picked up a note of fear. "Don't!"

He smiled at the trembling in her voice and jerked her pants down, leaving her completely naked in front of him.

She swallowed thickly, seeing his eyes glowing darkly with triumph and malicious intent.

She pressed her body into the wall, hoping to be as far from him as possible.

She tried to bite him as he pressed his lips to hers, but he bit her first, drawing blood and moaning against her mouth.

She shuddered as his lips trailed down her neck, kissing softly but leaving her nerves on end, wondering if he would take a chunk out of her.

She hated to admit it, but the way his hands trailed over her bare hips and along her thighs was doing things to her body that she hadn't expected to feel.

"Courier," He murmured against a breast before taking a nipple into his mouth. A sound halfway between a growl and a moan escaped her and she tightened her jaw, furious for reacting at all.

He laughed, his hot breath trailing down her stomach. He clamped his hands around her wrists, ensuring that she couldn't do much as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her.

"Wh-what are you doing?" She stammered, her voice filled with anticipation.

He grinned up at her before moving his lips slowly to her stomach and kissing her softly, raising goosebumps along her skin and causing her to shiver again.

"Stop," She hissed, trying to sound fierce but a moan immediately escaped her lips as he licked slowly up her inner thigh, stopping just before he reached her folds.

"Do you want me?" He asked, his voice taunting and teasing.

She clenched her jaw and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes, willing herself to think of anything else. "No," she intoned.

"Liar," He hissed, now gripping her wrists with one hand as he used his free hand to pull one of her thighs towards him as he pressed his face into her.

Her lips trembled as she tried to keep absolutely silent. But he knew how he was affecting her and gleefully took her clit into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue around it.

Her breathing picked up instantly and he rewarded her by inserting a finger into her, causing her to gasp and immediately let out a load, low moan. He slipped in another finger and she whimpered.

He felt himself twitch in anticipation.

Then he began a brutal pace with his fingers, sliding them in and out, causing her to moan and squirm her hips as she tried to escape him.

"Stop!" She cried, gritting her teeth, her head thrown back and her hands curled into fists where he held them. "Stop!" She repeated.

He only picked up his pace.

Her moans got louder and he realized with a jolt that she was close to coming.

He stopped instantly and rose to his feet.

She opened her eyes and met his gaze.

She couldn't disguise the hunger that he saw there as he kept up his movements inside of her, fingers in her opening and a thumb pressed to her clit.

"Say you want me," He purred, lips tickling her neck. "And this can be over soon."

She grunted, jerking her hips again.

"Unless you don't behave," He chuckled. "I can make this last _hours_. But I can do that too if you're very very good." He met her gaze again and realized that there wasn't any hate in her eyes. He had expected to see it there, but all he saw was lust. Was it just because of what he was doing to her?

He pulled his fingers out and swirled them against her clit, the slickness he felt there causing him to ache.

"Beg." He ordered, letting go of her hands so that he could curl a fist in her hair, burying his face into the crook of her neck, sucking on her skin roughly, wanting to leave evidence that his hands and mouth had been all over her.

She shivered at the cold determination in his voice. She whimpered, feeling his warmth and his skin like a drug. She swallowed, the feeling of his lips on her neck causing her to crave more than just his fingers inside of her.

"Please," She hissed, hands rising up to grasp his biceps, feeling the rippling muscles and a shiver of excitement ran through her.

"'Please', what?" His mouth moved lower on her shoulder, his lips warm and soft.

"Please fuck me."

He stopped, as if surprised but then a growl tore from his throat and he picked her up roughly and slammed her back against a table nearby.

Her lips were parted as she saw him standing over her, taking off his armor, his eyes focused intently on hers. She couldn't read what she saw in his face.

Her eyes traced the lines of his abdomen and then trailed lower as he removed his pants.

He was big.

Another delicious shiver ran through her and she opened her legs as he stepped closer.

"Good girl," He murmured, bending down to kiss her passionately, positioning himself between her thighs. "You're enjoying this far too much." He chuckled and smiled. She was surprised to not immediately see any malice in his eyes.

Then he plunged into her.

A loud cry tore from her throat, but he didn't give her time to recover.

His hands gripped her thighs tightly, pulling her closer to him as he set a rough pace, enjoying the way she rocked under his thrusts.

The room was filled with the sounds of her screams and their skin slapping as he fucked her on the table.

Her hands clawed at the table above her in a desperate attempt to grip the other edge of the table and gain some control back.

He gripped her thighs and jerked her away from the other edge of the table, suspending her slightly, allowing his hands to be the only thing holding her up.

He slowed for a moment so that he could shove his cock into her slowly and then deeper.

She hissed in response, her face flushing.

He pushed himself in all the way, and she whimpered that he was too deep.

He held himself there, staring down at her and after a moment, she opened her eyes and silently questioned him, confusion drawing little lines on her forehead.

She had never looked so beautiful. Her body shivering as she squirmed against him, trying to pull herself away from him and the pain she felt at how far in he was. She looked so feminine and delicate and he greedily wanted more of this side of her.

He bucked roughly against her and she cried out again, her eyes scrunching shut as tears trickled out the corners of her eyes and into her hair.

Rumbling satisfactorily, he did it again. Then again. And again.

"Please!" She cried, hands reaching for him.

He gave her another thrust.

"Stop!"

"But you look so beautiful and vulnerable beneath me," He murmured, a smile playing lightly over his lips. He removed his cock an inch and thrust it back in.

A loud whimper escaped her throat. "Vulpes..."

Something about the sound of his name on her lips sent a jolt through his body and he began thrusting into her continuously again.

She reverted back to the continuous streams of moans from earlier but he knew she wouldn't come like this.

He pushed her body forward so that her ass was mostly back on the table and leaned over her, feeling his stomach press against her soft skin.

A possessive growl rumbled in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her small body, admiring how well she fit against him.

He transitioned his deep thrusting to rough rolls of his hips, feeling the skin above his cock dragging against her clit, earning him more desperate moans from her.

She ran her hands down his torso, feeling every muscle and scar and he loved the way she seemed to be admiring him.

He picked up his pace, her moans growing louder.

He ran his teeth along her neck and shoulders, gripping her arms roughly and leaving more marks. He sucked roughly on her breasts, leaving marks there too, claiming her as his.

"Vulpes," She whined, her voice much higher this time.

His hands slid down her body, trailing along her skin.

Suddenly she tightened around him and a shout erupted from her throat as her back arched and she ground harder against him.

He immediately began thrusting viciously into her, making her orgasm stronger and overwhelming her senses. Her hands clawed into his shoulders as she tried to move away from him, the feeling too much.

"No," He hissed, pulling her closer and picking up speed.

"Vulpes!" She cried, her fingers tightening on his shoulders.

With that, he felt himself explode inside her and she shivered, as she felt the rush moving through her.

He gave her a few more lazy thrusts and pressed his cock all the way in again, slowly, until she gasped, before pulling himself out and meeting her eyes.

There was no hate or anger in her eyes, just contentment. He wondered if she ever had been fucked like that before as he tenderly ran a hand down the side of her face and lightly down her shoulder.

She closed her eyes, sighing contentedly and he leaned down to kiss her, scooping her up and seating them both on the pile of clothes on the floor.

He tugged her close against him, her skin glowing with sweat. She relaxed her body against his and he absently stroked the skin of her hip as he felt himself drifting off with her comforting weight leaning on his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

When she had returned home, the securetrons at the Fort destroyed, the leader of Vegas infuriated. After much consideration, she had killed him. House was dead. Most of the systems were automated and no one really knew what had happened. She had only told her companions as they had wondered what all the alarms were sounding for.

She knew what she was doing and had planned out where to go next. Benny was out of the way, Yes Man was helping her, and she had decided to work the NCR into helping her take out the Legion when the time came, without letting them know she was going to keep Vegas and the Dam.

She had seen Vulpes on the strip a couple of times, trailing behind her, keeping an eye on her for Caesar. He didn't really bother hiding. He just stared at her with his dark eyes, letting her know that he was watching.

She saw him again one night when she had decided to get out of the strip and drink at the Atomic Wrangler. It was more quiet, peaceful.

The presence of someone sitting next to her had woken her from her dazed stupor. She looked up at him.

Vulpes was leaned against the counter, body angled towards hers. "Ave," He whispered, his eyes cold and dark, and causing her body to tingle all over. It had been a month since they had last seen one another.

Every time she thought of him, she could feel heat flush through her core. The memories of their time together, completing tasks for Caesar would flood back. And particularity their time together on the table.

She knew in her heart that he was bad. Bad for her and bad for the Mojave. But she kept thinking about him nonetheless. The way his hands trailed over her, the way he handled her roughly. Something about it made her crave it all the more. She wanted him again, and in this moment, the full force of it hit her like a truck.

It would be so much easier if he wasn't fucking psychotic.

"What do you want?" She muttered, intending to sound demanding, but it came out softer.

"I've got a room upstairs," He murmured, then leaned in to whisper, "Let's go."

He stood up and she stared with wide eyes for a second. What if he killed her? What if he was just luring her? Or was he asking her to have sex again? Did he just only want to talk about Legion affairs and her current alignment?

She decided she would worry about all that later and gulped down the rest of her drink and stood, trying to not look too eager to be alone with him.

A faint smile played on his lips as he held his elbow out for her to take, like a proper gentleman.

James Garret eyed the pair as they walked away, curious what the fabled Courier was doing with the stranger dressed in a suit and fedora.

When they climbed the stairs and reached the room, Vulpes immediately shut and locked the door.

He turned and fixed her with his gaze and took off his hat and slipped out of his jacket. This left him in a white tailored shirt and his dress pants.

Six mirrored the action and slipped out of her leather jacket and undid her belt. She was now in her tank top and leather pants.

"Come sit with me," Inculta requested in a soft voice, placing himself on the bed.

Despite her better judgement, she did.

He wrapped a lazy arm around her waist and pulled her close, the other hand resting on her thigh.

She swallowed thickly.

"I know what you're planning on doing," He growled, his mouth right next to her ear and his breath tickling her skin.

"And that is?" She grumbled, trying to keep her guard up. And also trying to hide her growing want of him.

"You're going to betray both the Legion and the NCR."

She twisted her head to face him, his face centimeters from hers.

"As you know, I've been following you, and I've even managed to slip into the Lucky 38 at times."

Her eyes widened. "You've been in my home?"

A grin stretched his features. "Of course. And I've also witnessed you staring at my wanted poster, the one with the photograph of me in my armor and sunglasses."

Her face reddened. "That's because-!"

"Oh courier, don't tell me you're developing feelings for me?"

Anger bubbled up in her for being mocked. "No, I'm not."

He raised an eyebrow. Then, after a pause of uncomfortable silence, said, "The Legion isn't doing as well as I would have hoped. As you know, Caesar is dying and the surgery needed to save him would also be very likely to kill him. The next one in line is a moron, and I cannot and will not follow him."

"You're just baiting me," She growled, not trusting what he was hinting at. He would deceive her to gain her trust and betray her in the end.

"Perhaps, but I will warn you of this," He stood up and leaned over her, forcing her onto her back on the bed. She shut down any feelings of excitement her position caused her. "The battle will occur soon. Two weeks. You should prepare. The Legion will infiltrate the dam through the pipes, not via ground."

He raised himself up to his full height and eyed her as she pushed herself onto her elbows. "I don't trust you," She growled.

"You'd be a fool if you did," He agreed, and began unbuttoning his shirt. "I have my own agenda, different from yours or the Legion's."

"No," She hissed, "We're not doing this." She tried to scramble up, but he placed a knee on her thigh and forced her to stay sitting on the bed.

"Don't pretend you weren't hoping this would happen when I asked you up here. Besides, it would be more suspicious if we didn't fuck and only talked for a few minutes. People would start to wonder."

She honestly didn't care if people wondered. She drew in several shallow breaths. She should leave. She should get up and go.

His eyes taunted her as he threw his shirt to the side and she got a full view of his well muscled torso. She took in a shaking breath and tugged her own shirt over her head and reached behind her to unfasten her bra. His eyes greedily took her in before he leaned forward to unbutton her pants and help her wriggle out of them.

Naked, she scooted up to the head of the bed, and adjusted the pillows as he removed his pants and crawled over her to meet her.

His fingers absently stroked her folds and flicked over her clit a few times while his eyes burned into hers.

"Why would you want me of all people?" He murmured, gently sliding a finger into her.

"I don't," She halfheartedly lied.

He roughly shoved another finger into her and she gasped.

"I don't... know," She corrected, and he gently slid his fingers out and over her clit. "I... like how rough you are. I like how in control you are. It's nice to hand over control to someone else for a little while."

He smirked, but didn't answer right away. He leaned down and nibbled at her throat, licking a trail up to her jaw and placing a kiss there.

Once, when she had gotten very drunk with Boone, they had fucked. It had been okay. But he had just thrust into her at a steady pace, gently trying to coax her into an orgasm, but wound up finishing before her. She had had to do the task herself later that night. He had felt good, but it hadn't been enough. And later he had expressed his guilt for betraying Carla and hadn't come back to the Lucky 38 for days after that. As much as she had enjoyed it, she had hoped that he would have been rough with her, and her feelings for him dissolved after not getting what she craved. It had made her remember her time with Vulpes all the more fondly. He knew exactly what he was doing.

She lifted one of her knees and enjoyed the sensation of her thigh pressing to the muscles of Vulpes's torso, his body heat burning into her.

"If you like me being rough," Vulpes finally said, "I guess this is torture for you." His fingers were soft and gentle over her and his lips moved slowly over her collar bone and down to her breast.

She grunted once in way of response and bucked her hips upwards.

He let out a dark chuckle.

"Don't worry," He assured her, his cheek brushing against hers as his lips moved to her ear. "I am going to make sure that I make you scream."

Her whole body shivered and her hands gripped his biceps. "Please," She whimpered, a part of her worrying he didn't mean screaming in sexual pleasure.

His hand disappeared from her folds and he gripped his cock. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, admiring the way he looked on top of her. Powerful, strong, intimidating. She loved the way he looked. His well muscled body, all his battle scars, his dark intelligent eyes, his constant air of composure.

He slid into her.

She sucked in a long slow breath.

He wrapped his fingers around her wrists and pinned them above her, and began to thrust.

She closed her eyes. He was being too gentle still. It drove her crazy.

"Please," She whimpered, opening her eyes and bucking against him.

"I love that you want me," He whispered, holding her pinned hands in one hand and sliding his hand along her side, admiring her hips and skin, picking up his pace only a little.

"Please, Vulpes, fuck me," She begged in a whisper.

He laughed and suddenly she felt herself being lifted and flipped until she was on top.

She stared down at him, gripping his shoulders and shivering as both of his hands gripped her hips as he sat up and leveled his eyes with her.

"Move," He ordered in a cold voice.

She did. Her hips bucked and rolled against his as his hands on her hips helped guide her.

They never broke eye contact, as if challenging one another. Her pace picked up and she felt the pressure of his cock bruising her, but she loved it.

Her face felt heated and her eyebrows creased. She bit her lip, her facial expression becoming desperate.

"Good girl," He cooed as she slammed her hips against his.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and secured her to him as he bucked upwards into her, meeting each of her movements with his own.

Her breathing was heavy and she secured her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, kissing him deeply.

He returned the kiss with an animalistic desperation and clenched a fist in her hair as his free hand roughly explored her body.

There was something so passionate about the kiss and something so intimate about their position.

She felt her body clench up and felt her vagina clamp around his cock as warm waves of pleasure washed over her. Her moans were smothered by his lips and he attacked her with lips and teeth as he began bucking roughly under her, moving his hands to her knees to jerk her closer, forcing her legs wider.

She let out a particularity desperate moan and he flipped the two of them again, slamming his cock all the way in, causing her to cry out again.

His pace was savage as he put everything he had been holding back into her, causing her to scream and moan and squirm under him, loving the painful intensity of it all.

She felt another orgasm rolling up on her and just as it crashed over her, she felt him throbbing inside of her as he rode out his orgasm, grunting a few times as he bit her shoulder in an attempt to silence himself. She loved his low, needy groans. She loved that they were for her.

They laid together, breathing heavily until he finally rolled off of her.

She began to sit up but he tugged her back down and pulled her to his chest.

"You're not leaving tonight," He growled, and possessively wrapped both hands around her.

She sucked in several breaths, letting herself relax in the warm bliss that her body felt and the security of his arms.

She didn't want to leave. She reached up and kissed him before snuggling in and allowing herself to fall asleep.

* * *

Early the next morning, she woke up to him standing and gathering his clothes. The room was dark except for a little light that filtered in through the boarded up window.

"Where are you going?" She whispered, still laying on her side.

"I must get back to my duties," He responded, not looking at her.

She didn't say anything for a while but she stared at him for a long time.

He finally turned to her and moved closer, standing over her side of the bed.

She rolled onto her back and looked up at him.

"Your face looks so gentle when you first wake up. No anger, no guarded expressions," He murmured, lowering slowly to his knees.

His hand stroked her cheek gently and she leaned into the touch, closing her eyes and covering his hand with her own.

"Can't you stay?"

"Hmm," He hummed, not really answering her.

She didn't know what she was asking, but she didn't care. Her sleep deprived brain just wanted him next to her, forgetting for a minute who he really was and what he was capable of.

After several moments, he leaned down to kiss her deeply before suddenly removing his touch from her. She opened her eyes to see him standing and dressing himself.

"I'll see you again soon," He promised.

She breathed out a long sigh and rolled back onto her side. "I know," She agreed and watched him as he left.


	3. Chapter 3

There's so much about this that I would change if I could, but now I can only just go from where I am. Ah well. No sex in this one, sorry. Just mostly actual story development.

* * *

Two weeks.

Those words sounded in her brain every time she tried to think up a plan. He had said two weeks. But what if the battle happened sooner and he was giving her a false sense of security? If the battle was in one week, he could convince her to take up more time than she had. She might not even be ready by then.

She had sent Arcade to discuss things with the remnants of the Enclave, and Veronica to the Boomers, wearing the clothes they had given Six to ensure she or her friends wouldn't get shot. They had liked Vero the last time Six had been there. They appreciated how knowledgeable she was.

Cass had volunteered to head to Red Rock Canyon. She wanted to take out that, "Bullshit Band of Bastards" as she had renamed the Legion. Six had wondered how long Cass had worked on that one.

Boone was going to talk to the NCR and inform them of the intel, as well as making sure that they knew it could be false.

Lily had the task of scouting out the Fort, stealthed, to make sure the troops didn't leave early.

Raul kept an eye on Cottonwood Cove.

And finally, Six and Veronica had discussed who would talk to the Brotherhood. They had decided that it would have to be Six. Six had saved the entire bunker and was the first to join from the outside. Mcnamera had taken somewhat of a liking to her and would be more likely to help if he knew he was helping Six personally as a fellow leader.

The Casino was nearly empty, and Six was in the Lucky 38, packing. Boone was packing as well, getting ready to stop in at the embassy, and then report to the Dam itself.

"So..." Six began, "Do you even think it's a good plan?" She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and began nibbling on it anxiously.

Boone eyed her nervous gesture, shaking his head and moving to her gun cabinet, selecting the right type of ammo he would need. "I think it's a hell of a better plan than anyone else has come up with," He admitted. "You're even more prepared than the NCR themselves," He murmured, before tossing the ammo into his bag and zipping it up. He was done packing. He threw his pack over his shoulder and picked up his rifle, then hesitated for a while. "Thanks," He finally grunted before heading straight for the elevator.

"Be safe," She called after him, remembering again why she liked him in the first place.

The sound of the elevator doors opening and closing were the last things she heard before the suite was silent again. Things had been awkward with her and Boone ever since they had gotten drunk together and fucked. It hadn't gone well.

She sighed and stuffed another shirt into her pack, which rested on her desk in the corner.

Then she felt an arm around her waist and another around her shoulders where a hand clapped over her eyes.

There was the feeling of being yanked backwards until there was a rough jostle and a slight swaying of the bed where her assailant held her, tightly.

She immediately clawed furiously at the hand around her eyes, turning her head and trying to bite the arm connected to it.

A warm breath on her neck and a sharp pain on her shoulder met her in response as whoever it was bit into her. She screamed and thrust her elbows backwards and then felt herself being flipped and the weight of another body pressed into her back. The hand over her eyes moved, shoving her face into the mattress instead, fingers fisted into her hair. She struggled to breath through the blankets and still tried to writhe away from the heavy weight pinning her down.

"I've missed you, Courier," Came a cool voice.

She could hear the grin in his tone and immediately stopped moving.

He rolled off of her and she bolted up, glaring fiercely at Vulpes, as his shoulders shook with quiet laughter.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She snarled, leaping off the bed the rest of the way and standing over him angrily.

"You had your guard down. It was too easy."

"You fucking bit me!" She protested, her hand moving to the bleeding wound by her neck and she winced when she touched it.

"I think it looks good on you." He stood up and stepped towards her. "Here, let me help." He gently brought his arms around her waist and pulled her in close, where he bent down to lick her neck clean of blood and sucked gently on the wound.

"Ow," She hissed.

He stopped and moved his lips away from her wound, lips grazing her pulse as she shivered. She instinctively wanted to relax into him, but she knew that if she did, she would melt under him and he would have his way with her. Again.

"No," She murmured, pushing at his chest and trying to step away.

He tightened his arms around her.

"Please," She grumbled. "I need to talk to you."

He sighed and loosened his grip, but didn't let her go completely. He just let her pull away a few inches so that they could look each other in the eyes.

"I-," She began, then cleared her throat. "I don't... I need to know what the hell it is that you're trying to do."

He raised an eyebrow, a hand moving up under her shirt to stroke her waist.

"Stop," She murmured. "I'm trying to talk to you."

He grinned and stilled his hand, but didn't move it away. "You're going to need to be more specific "

"Why would you give me intel about the Dam and act as if you want me to defeat the Legion? I don't trust you at all."

"With the new knowledge that Caesar is dying, there is no point in my staying in the ranks. If it's all going to fail, I'd rather everything I was a part of go in a glorious battle with the one woman who is worthy."

"Kiss ass," She hissed. "How do I know you haven't actually told all of my plans to everyone in the Legion and I'm just gonna be fucked come the day of the battle? How do I know the battle isn't planned for when you said it is?"

He smirked, moving one hand to trace gently over her lips. "I'm glad that you're not some idiot, foolish enough to trust me just because of your feelings for me."

"I don't have any feelings for you," She growled, jerking her head back, trying to regain control of the situation. "I just like fucking you."

A dark look passed over his eyes and he shoved her backwards onto the bed and positioned his body over hers. "Liar," He murmured, pulling her in close and gently running a hand through her hair.

For an instant, fear had shot through her body, but she instantly relaxed as he held her. He flipped them onto their sides and gently stroked the back of her neck, occasionally smoothing down her hair. The smell of him was familiar by now, and she quietly breathed it in, hoping he wouldn't notice. Her eyes closed as he pulled her tighter, not saying anything as he embraced her.

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she remembered was being woken by Vulpes nibbling on her ear.

"Wha-?" She groaned groggilly.

"You still have things to do," He reminded her, sitting up and gently coaxing her into a seated position too. He got up and moved away, and she could hear him moving about in the kitchen.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and moved to check the time on her pipboy.

She had wanted to leave around ten in the morning, but it was now noon. She felt the tenderness on her shoulder where Vulpes had bit her and rubbed at it, becoming irritated all over again. She knew he was a violent lover, and he had bitten her before, the first time, but she still hadn't expected him to still do that. It hurt to even move her arm. Shooting would be even more difficult.

A dark chuckle sounded from the doorway and Vulpes strode towards her. "Here," he said as he handed her a nuka cola, then leaned forward to gently kiss the wound she had been rubbing. "You need to wake up. Are you done packing?"

She gulped down a few swallows of the soda. "I might need to pack some more medical supplies to make sure I don't contract any diseases from this bite," She grumbled, getting to her feet.

He smirked.

"Other than that, yeah, I'm packed. You gonna let me leave now?" She fixed him with a glare which he only found amusing.

"Yes, I'm ready for us to go."

"Us?"

"I've been here for a while, waiting for your friends to all leave and give me some time alone with you. I also heard that you're going to be visiting the leader of the Brotherhood, someone who has taken a liking to you. I need to make sure he knows his place."

"Wow, I never pegged you as the jealous type."

He reached under her bed and pulled out his own pack, which she hadn't realized he had stashed there. She wondered how long it had been there. "Oh, I'm very possessive, Courier. I'm not going to let anyone else touch you."

She bit the insides of her cheeks, forcing her face to be neutral, but she shivered, a little terrified at the note of determination in his voice. "Well, you're stalking me, hiding in my apartment, and now you're making threats to anyone that comes near me. That's kind of creepy."

He didn't smirk this time and fixed her with a cold, irritated look. "Let's go. And by the way, I'm going to punish you for your attitude later."


	4. Chapter 4

Six felt uncomfortable about bringing Vulpes to Hidden Valley. It felt like she was just gleefully giving away a big secret to the enemy. Despite her growing attraction to Vulpes, his status as the enemy still hung in the back of her mind like a gray cloud. She wanted so desperately to just be able to forget for a while that he was evil. Sometimes she did slip and would relax a little, but then she reminded herself of Nipton and Searchlight. Vulpes was responsible for both.

They had found themselves in a shack that was more of a lean-to. Their break from walking left Six with time to stare off into the desert and think.

She felt his prescense move to sit beside her where she had seated herself on a large rock in the shade. He slung an arm around her waist. "You have something on your mind?" His voice was smooth as honey and warm like tea. Perfect.

"No," She muttered automatically. "I mean yes," She corrected after he gave her a look.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed and looked down at her hands. "I don't trust you. I..." She shook her head. "Convince me."

"Convince you of why you should trust me?" There was a pause. "There's no valid excuse to redeem me of everything I've done."

"But then why should I just let you come with me to the bunker?"

"Because I heard you and the Scribe girl talking about how the Elder just adores you." His eyes were dark. "I thought I made myself clear when I said I don't like sharing."

"So what are we then? What do you want from me?" She met his stare with desperation, anger, pleading.

His eyes were fixed on hers, cold and unreadable. "We should get moving."

Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. She stood her ground.

"You want me to say that we can just go about and be a happy couple? You know we can't do that. There's no way your NCR dog would accept that and neither would your doctor friend. I'm pretty sure that cowboy merchant would resent the idea as well. So for now there really isn't anything that I can say."

"Right, so we're just not allowed to see other people. But we're not in a relationship."

He sighed. "What do YOU want from me, dear Courier?"

She shook her head. "I just want to be able to be around you without feeling like I'm going to step on a rattle snake."

"Then just trust me." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're just going to use me."

"I have no need to use you."

"You're going to stab me in the back."

"I'm not."

"You're going to hurt me."

There was a long pause. "Six," He placed both of his hands deliberately on her hips, his dark eyes staring into hers. It had been the first time he had called her anything other than her job title. "I know you don't trust me completely. There isn't anything that I can say to change your mind. Not after everything I've done. But you're not supporting the NCR or the Legion. You're that third option that I need. And you're you."

His words hung heavy in the air and she ran them through her mind over and over again. She needed to know exactly what he meant. She needed absolute certainty.

As if sensing the turmoil in her brain, Vulpes leaned forward, pulling her closer at the same time. Their lips met, and he was gentle, sweet. He gripped her shoulder, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her flesh. His other hand was resting on her hip, warm and firm.

"Vulpes," She whispered as he ran his lips over her jaw line.

He grunted in response and nipped lightly at her neck, returning his lips to hers almost immediately after. This time, the kiss was long and passionate. Her heart felt like a trapped bird, desperately fluttering to escape.

"Vulpes," She murmured, louder this time.

"Yes," He replied. His voice firm and low. It wasn't a question, it was an answer.

"Please, Vulpes. I want you. I need you. I want you so badly."

He pulled back, his eyes looking confused, almost suspicious.

"Please," She repeated, giving into her want for him. All the time spent thinking about him. All the suspicion. She just wanted to forget it. "Please."

He was breathing heavily. His chest rising and falling at seeing her like this. Finally her hard shell had cracked and she was begging for him.

"I just want to forget about what you are for a while. Don't be the Legionary, just be my Vulpes."

He pushed her gently to the ground, lips on hers, their breathing loud in the air around them.

Her fingers pushed his jacket aside, over his shoulders and he tugged it off the rest of the way. He mirrored the action for her and then moved to her pants, tugging them down and unlacing each boot carefully before removing those too. She sat before him in her tanktop and underwear, looking transfixed.

He pulled off his shirt, leaving just his torso bare as he positioned himself over her again. "Of all the people you could have fallen for..." He murmured. His brows were knitted together and he looked... concerned? Confused?

"Vulpes," She whispered again, a small smile on her face.

"Six," He whispered, his lips leaning in close to her ear, where he planted a kiss on her lobe.

His hands slid gently over her body, trailing down her thighs and up her hips. Over the curve of her stomach and rising to her breasts where his fingers flicked at a nipple cautiously.

She moaned gently, a small sound that filled him with desire.

"Take off your shirt," He commanded, then added, "Please, darling."

He moved back so that she could sit up and do so, their eyes locked the entire time. Then he moved back and hooked his fingers in the waist band of her panties and gently tugged them down, his eyes moving over her body.

He pushed her legs open with a hand on each thigh while his eyes held her gaze with intensity. "You're mine," He growled and he lowered his face to her folds and immediately began attacking her clit with enthusiastic licks.

She let out a long keening sound, her hips rising a fraction off the ground, but he pushed her back down with his hands still on her thighs. His fingers slid over her inner legs, massaging her as his tongue worked on her sensitive pearl of flesh.

"Vulpes," She moaned, her hands finding his and clutching at his fingers.

He paused for a moment, "Shhh, darling," He hummed. "I'm right here." He kissed her inner thigh and moved back to kiss her lips, slow and passionate. His fingers resumed where his mouth had left off, and he slid two fingers in, earning another moan from her.

Her arms wrapped securely around his neck, pulling him closer, and one of her legs curled around his hips.

She thought that she wanted rough... but this... with him? It was amazing. He was amazing. He was so attentive and thourough.

"I'm going to fuck you now," he growled. His voice sounded off somehow. As if he was struggling to keep control. "Are you ready, my precious Courier?"

"Yes," she breathed har hands splaying over his chest, the firm muscles damp with sweat and his chest heaving with every breath. "I want you."

"And I want you," he replied. It had been the first time he had said anything like that and her heart skipped. His fingers fumbled with his belt before tugging his pants down just enough to free his cock.

He leaned forward, ready to enter her. He looked at her almost... tenderly. Then he slowly pushed himself in. He was still being slow and gentle.

She hummed gently as his mouth lowered to take in a nipple, swirling his tongue around it, his hips starting a gentle, slow pace.

She reached for his arms, her hands sliding over his shoulders and up to his neck and then to his face.

Their eyes were locked and both of their faces mirrored an expression of want and need for the other.

She was surprised when she felt her orgasm on the horizon. She closed her eyes, sighing as it rose and fell over her like ocean waves.

"Good girl," Vulpes whispered, directly into her ear, his breath warm. "Take a second to breathe," He instructed.

"What?" She gasped, but was cut off as he began slamming into her and her mouth fell helplessly into a silent cry.

It was so much at once.

He roughly grabbed her thigh, pulling it tighter around him, his mouth bruising her neck, his teeth scratching against her shoulder. And still his thrusts were fast and hard.

Her breathing came in loud gasps and non stop whimpers.

His hands moved up her hips, grabbing handfuls of her breasts. Then he reached up and tangled his fist into her hair, pulling her head back and licking up her throat.

He then let go and pulled back, his hands moving to grab both of her hips.

She opened her eyes, not even realizing she had squeezed them shut. He was on his knees and he lifted her hips, her ass slightly off the ground and he continued his thrusts, sweat forming on his brow and chest.

She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, arching her back and pressing against him. She tentatively moved a hand inbetween them, her fingers pressing to her clit and gently circling it. His intent gaze met hers. His eyes were so familiar by now.

She felt herself tighten around him as she came again and he grunted, trying to maintain control as his own body began to betray him. She kept her eyes open, staring into his face. He grit his teeth and shut his eyes as his own pleasure overtook him and his mouth opened as he breathed out a sigh.

He let himself fall forward, catching himself on his arms, leaning over her.

She sat up and kissed him gently. A few droplets of sweat had accumulated on his upper lip.

In moments like this she could only see him as human. Devastatingly real.

"You're amazing," She whispered.

Again he looked surprised, but didn't say anything. He rolled off of her and settled on his back beside her.

Not caring about how damp with sweat he was, she rolled to meet him, curling a leg over his hips and wrapping an arm around his chest where her fingers gently stroked his shoulder.

His arms automatically rose to meet her, a hand wrapped around her back and settled on her hip, his other hand on her thigh, just above her knee.

"You know I haven't changed. Not that much," He suddenly said, his voice quiet.

"I thought we were going to just enjoy the moment?" She sighed, closing her eyes in annoyance.

"Do you know why I stayed with the Legion? For so long? Why I did what I did and climbed the ranks?"

"No," She snapped. "I don't. Why did you have to ruin how happy I was just five seconds ago?"

There was a pause, he craned his neck and pressed a small kiss to her head, where it rested below his collar bone.

"Maybe sometimes I don't want to know," She murmured. "I never really expected you to tell me anyway."

"Do you know the reason why I picked you?"

"No." She tensed and his arms tightened around her in response.

"I've always valued strength and cunning. At first I thought of you as any other profligate. But you've managed to do more than any one person I've ever met, except for Caesar himself, of course."

She snorted.

He lightly slapped her ass. "I don't have the same tastes as most of the other Legion men. They want weak women who they can dominate. And sometimes sex is seen as nothing more than a punishment for those who misbehave." He paused. "But I want you because I admire you. You're strong and determined. Smart for most wastelanders."

She wasn't sure what to say, so she stayed silent.

"I don't care who I hurt. I would care if I hurt you, but aside from that I don't care about other people."

"I suppose I could have guessed that you have a lack of empathy."

He chuckled. "Being in the Legion was a job to me. I did it well and prided myself in my skills and my advancement. I didn't particularilly care about those I worked with or most of who I worked for. It did bring me pleasure to make those suffer who had stood in my way, however. Like when I first fucked you."

A shiver passed down her spine and she tried to push away from him.

His arms kept her secured to him. "I wanted to hurt you and make you scream and beg for me to stop. You were ruining everything that I had worked to achieve."

"Vulpes," She began, a note of fear in her voice, but he cut her off.

"But I don't need the Legion just to keep building myself up." He rolled them over and leaned over her, dark eyes unreadable. "I know what I am. And you know what I am. I'm not going to lose anything by siding with you."

Her mouth opened and closed, not knowing what to say at all.

"We should get moving again." He got up and she watched him in disbelief as he began dressing himself and nudged her clothes towards her with his foot.

Silently, she dressed and watched his back as he repacked their bags. His muscles were tense, like coiled springs.

"Are you ready?" He turned, his jaw tense.

"Yeah... are... are you okay?" She asked, concern drawing lines between her brows.

He blinked, not expecting her to ask. "I'm fine."

She nodded, her nerves still on edge. "Okay, then..."

He handed her pack to her and stepped out of the shade of the lean-to and they began walking.

She wondered if he was self conscious about the things he had admitted to her. Or if she had done something wrong.

They walked in silence, already not far from Hidden Valley. She felt a sort of frustration settling into her chest at his sudden change of attitude. He wasn't saying anything and was barely acknowledging her. It was like traveling with Boone when she had first met him.

They reached the gap in the fence and she strode ahead, moving straight for the mound where the entrance was. "This is it," She grunted.

He didn't say anything as she opened the door. Still sulking for some reason.

"Please behave," She whispered after he shut the door behind him.

"I'm always on my best behavior," He purred, and she felt his breath tickle the back of her neck in the dark. They reached the next room and she pressed the button for the intercom.

"Who is it?" Barked a voice from the speaker.

"It's Six," She replied. Then added, "And one of my companions."

She thought she heard grumbling from the speaker, but the door unlocked and she stepped in, the guards eyeing the new person she brought with her. Not one of her usual traveling partners.

She nodded a greeting at them and glanced over her shoulder. Vulpes was scanning their surroundings but his face was neutral. He didn't give anything away.

"This way," She said, for no real reason, and continued walking through the familiar halls.

She felt his presence behind her. He was sticking close.

When they finally reached Elder McNamara's office, Vulpes still hadn't given her any space and she could tell he was staring down the Elder as he turned and smiled brightly at Six.

"Courier!" He greeted brightly, standing from his chair and moving over to her swiftly. His eyes nervously darted to Vulpes but then back to her.

"Hi," She grinned. "How are you?"

"Good, thanks to you."

Vulpes seemed to make a noise.

Nolan glanced at the Legionary and but then chose to ignore him again. "The repairs are holding well. Everyone is doing well, and life goes on."

She smiled. "Good. Glad to hear it. So, have you heard much about the events above?"

The happy expression on McNamara's face fell slightly. "I've heard some, yes. I know about the tensions between the Legion and the NCR getting worse."

"That's what I came to you for," She admitted.

His eyes narrowed a fraction in concern. "What can I do for you?"

"I need your help. The help of the Brotherhood."

He sighed. "Six... I can't risk getting my people involved. We still haven't recovered from the battle at Helios One and we have no interest in getting ourselves destroyed."

"Look, you haven't even heard what I have to say," She pointed out.

Nolan sighed, shaking his head. "Please go on."

"I'm gathering my forces. We're going to fight against the Legion and work with the NCR to kick them out. But, I'm not planning on handing over my territory."

"Your territory?" His brows pinched together.

"Yes. Vegas is mine. I'm going to help the people and try to get this mess sorted as best as I can. But I can't do it without the Dam and I can't do it with the Legion crawling all over the desert. Please, I just need... I dunno. Whatever you can offer. Weapons, soldiers."

Nolan sighed, about to speak, about to say no, but Vulpes cut him off.

"Everyone knows that the Brotherhood has an advantage with their suits of power armor. You'll be going against men who mostly use machetes and bats. If you're still too afraid to help then you're a coward."

The muscles in Nolan's jaw tensed. "I'm not afraid-."

"Then why aren't you helping her? I know she's helped you and that you respect her decisions up until this point. Think about it, with an Independent New Vegas, you could operate openly without having to look over your shoulder for the NCR to attack you at any minute. You wouldn't have to be in hiding."

The Elder blinked, his eyes much more expressive than Inculta's. Both men shifted their gaze to Six.

"He's right," She blurted, feeling their expectation. "This could help you too. You know me. You can work with me. I promise I won't get in your way."

Nolan contemplated it for a few moments, his eyes never leaving hers. "Alright," He whispered finally. "I see the point you make. I'll do it, but only for you." A small smile crept onto his face.

"Thank you," She gushed.

"Of course." His eyes flicked back to Vulpes. "Is there any way we would be able to speak in private please?"

Vulpes didn't say anything, but held his ground.

"It's fine," Six assured him, her eyes meeting his, willing him to not make a scene.

He glared down at her. "Fine. I will step out."

The two watched as the Legionary left the room, shoulders hunched down.

"That man isn't taking too kindly to me," Nolan pointed out when they were alone.

Six sighed. "He's being an overprotective little shit."

He raised an eyebrow.

"It's complicated." She ran a hand through her hair.

"I noticed the marks on your neck. Maybe it's not so complicated. He's feeling insecure and jealous. That's me assuming he was the one who... gave you those marks."

Her mouth opened and closed. She finally snapped her jaw shut, resisting the urge to cover the hickeys with her hand.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She tried to ignore the hopeful note to his question.

"I don't know," She grunted. "He says it won't work between us because of who my friends are." She barked out a harsh laugh.

She realized her mistake when Nolan's face brightened. "Maybe it's for the best."

Her expression formed a tight lipped smile. She honestly wouldn't put it past Vulpes to listen in. She changed the subject. "Was there something you wanted to discuss?"

"Nothing in particular," He admitted. "I just wanted to catch up. Get a full update from you on what you and your friends have been doing and exactly how the situation above is. And I didn't want him glaring at me anymore."

She chuckled at that. She couldn't blame him.

She told him about Mr. House being eliminated and how she had managed to get full control of the systems that controlled New Vegas. She also told him about all the other help she hoped to bring to the battle and suddenly realized something else.

"Do you think your scribes could fix a bunch of securitron that have been shut down?"

He raised his eyebrows. "That could be possible."

"Great, because there's a whole army of them that could really help. They can't do much good now, because they're located in a bunker underneath Fortification Hill, where Caesar himself is camped. But it can make sure that we're safe in the future."

Nolan nodded.

"I can bring a bunch to the fight at the Dam too."

He smiled. "I'm liking these odds the more I hear."

She returned the smile. "I'm just trying to do my job."

"You know," He breathed. "You're pretty amazing, Six."

The air suddenly felt heavier. "Thanks." A blush spread over her face.

"You've done so many amazing and selfless things. You truly care about people and hold tightly to your values." His hand reached out and touched her cheek. "I really admire you."

She felt like a bucket of water had been thrown over her. "Sir," She took a step back. "I-."

He dropped his hand. "That man," He sighed. "Of course. Forgive me."

She attempted a wobbly smile.

"You're welcome to stay the night in the bunker if you need to get some rest after traveling," He said, and it sounded like a dismissal.

"Thank you," She mumbled. She wanted to say something. There was nothing else to say. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

"And you."

She backed out of the room and gulped in a lungful of air.

Vulpes was no where in sight.


	5. Chapter 5

After asking around, she finally found him. Vulpes had settled down to get something to drink and was seated in a corner of the dining room.

The chair scraped obnoxiously against the floor as she pulled it out and took a seat next to him.

"That took a while," He growled, sipping at his drink.

"I gave him more details of the plan."

"I don't see why I needed to be out of the room for that." His mood was even more sour than it had been after their talk earlier during the day. Right after they had had sex.

"Vulpes, seriously. What's up? Nothing happened between Nolan and I. Did I do something wrong? Are you just jealous?"

His eyes were cold as usual. "No, that's not..." He sighed. "It doesn't matter. I'm sorry." The words tumbled out and he shoved the beer towards her. "Want some?"

She took a sip and carefully set the bottle back down.

"He thinks you're my boyfriend."

Vulpes chuckled. "Good. That makes things easier in a way."

She marveled at how he looked when he genuinely smiled.

"We just have to worry about your friends."

She nodded, staring at a speck on the table. They fell silent as someone walked past their table.

"You know," She began carefully. "When you said you didn't have anything to lose by being on my side, did you mean it?" Her hopeful eyes looked into his guarded ones and he looked away.

"There's no going back after all of this. So, yes. I meant it. There's nothing for me in the Legion. Even if it weren't for our... relationship. Things could work better for me here, even without that."

She smiled gently. "So, there's going to come a day when you have to reveal yourself to my friends anyway..."

His eyes narrowed. "Meeting them before I've even proven my loyalty could end badly." He laughed bitterly. "I can just picture your sniper running to the NCR and warning them that the Legion has corrupted the acting head of New Vegas and not to trust you anymore..." He stopped and a sharp look crossed his face. "Does he even know of your plan to betray the NCR?"

She shook her head.

Vulpes threw back his head and laughed. "Imagine him finding out. You're going to disappoint him a million times over compared to how much he disappointed you."

She felt like she had been hit in the stomach. "What?"

"Oh come now, you think I haven't read your journal?"

She stood up angrily. "You-!" She took a breath and glared. "Don't ever do that again."

He shook his head, keeping his face carefully neutral. "Relax, sit down. You don't want to cause a scene."

She glanced around. A few people had glanced over but lost interest when she sat back down.

"I won't read it again if that's your wish. This was when I was still getting a feel for you. After our first time... Well, you lost all hostility and enjoyed everything I did to you. I found it intriguing and decided to learn more about you. That's what made me decide to keep coming around. Don't worry. I'm not going to judge you for your private thoughts. I grew fond of the person underneath all your armor. Metaphorically and literally." He grinned.

She wondered if this was his first beer or not. "So, you don't care about Boone?"

"No. But mostly because you didn't plan to ever let him disappoint you again."

She blushed. "Yeah, well..."

"The only thing that concerned me was that you described the Elder as, 'wise and calm yet strong and handsome'."

She choked out a cough.

"So long as you don't act on it, though. I don't care."

She pursed her lips and nodded. "Okay. I won't."

"Good," He purred, reaching over to wrap his fingers around hers while taking another sip of his beer.

She honestly hadn't thought of him as the beer type.

"Elder McNamara arranged for a room for us to stay in."

Amusement flashed in his eyes. "How thoughtful of him."

She shrugged.

"I suppose we'd better go there then. It would be nice to get in bed after a long day." He eyed her suggestively.

Blushing, she nodded and they got up together.

* * *

The Lucky 38 was quiet when they arrived. She still didn't know what to say to her friends and Vulpes still wasn't looking forward to meeting them. A lot of people knew who he was. Not just out of her group of friends, but all over the wasteland. Most people didn't really know what he looked like, however, due to the only picture the NCR had of him was one where he was wearing sunglasses and his dog hat. Boone, however, knew. And that scared Six a little.

She couldn't lie about who Vulpes was.

 _When she finally found Benny she had convinced him to talk to her. Benny, Boone, and Six had made their way to Benny's suite, his guards waiting outside. After hearing Benny out, Six still hated his guts. She finished him off quickly and quietly with her knife. That was Benny's problem. He always thought that he knew how something was going to play out._

 _After Boone and her had found the Yes Man bot and the secret passageway, they had made their escape. As soon as they had left the building, a form had pushed away from the doorway where it had been leaning._

 _"Ave," came the cold, quiet voice. "Maybe you don't remember me. I am Vulpes Inculta."_

 _Six had gone cold, recognizing the man she had stumbled across in Nipton. Boone didn't recognize his face, but identified the Latin greeting and the name._

 _As soon as the sniper tensed up, Vulpes spoke again. "I'm here to speak with you, Courier. My Lord has heard of what you have accomplished in such a short time and would like to meet with you. I'm here to escort you directly to our camp, unharmed. Your safe return is also guaranteed. "_

 _"Bullshit," Boone snarled. "You really think she's going to trust you?" He obviously wanted to move, to act. He was in a rage._

 _"Wait," Six had pleaded. "I... Maybe I should go."_

 _Boone turned to face her, anger and shock twisting his features. "Don't be stupid. Do you have any idea what the Legion does to women?" His eyes snapped back to Vulpes, glaring daggers._

 _"If Lord Caesar merely wanted her captured as a slave or killed, it would have already happened."_

 _Boone's face grew even darker at that._

 _"Boone," Six barked. "You heard what Yes Man said. I need to figure everyone out. Maybe I can reason with Caesar."_

 _"Doubt it." Boone kept his eyes glued to the leader of the Fumentarii._

 _"Boone, please trust me," She pleaded._

 _He took a deep sigh and shut his eyes. "Fine," He bit out. His eyes opened. "But if anything happens to her, I'll make sure you suffer."_

 _"Noted," Vulpes remarked coldly. "When will you be ready to depart, Courier?"_

"Six," Vulpes murmured.

"Yes?" She looked up from her coffee. She sat at the bar on one of the stools and he stood next to her.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?"

She shrugged. "I mean, yes, but, y'know. Problems and such."

He sighed, eyes glued to the mountains out the windows of the penthouse. The sun was still coming up and the mountains were many shades of red and pink and orange.

Vulpes moved to stand in front of her. "I hope this goes towards you learning to trust me."

She smiled up at him. "I'll trust you for sure when we win the battle at the dam."

"Of course," he grinned, placing his hands on either side of the counter behind her and leaning in to kiss her neck.

"You can't jus give me a normal romantic kiss?" She asked, a smile on her face.

He chuckeled and kissed her full on the lips instead. "Better?"

She chuckled. "Well, I did like the neck kisses too."

He laughed and tugged her out of her chair. "Ready?"

She nodded, her smile falling. "As I'll ever be."


End file.
